Should You Mow Clover Food Plots? When to Mow, When to Wait, and the Biggest Mistakes to Avoid
Clover has earned its reputation as one of the best food plot species you can plant for deer. It's highly attractive, packed with protein, easy to establish, and can keep producing quality forage for years with proper maintenance.
But once a clover plot gets established, almost every food plotter asks the same question: should I mow it?
You've probably heard it a hundred times: "You've got to mow your clover." For a lot of hunters, mowing has become part of the yearly routine, whether the plot needs it or not.
At Whitetail Hill, we look at mowing the same way we look at any other habitat management practice: if it isn't solving a problem, don't do it. For most established clover plots, mowing should be the exception, not the rule.
Should You Mow Clover Food Plots?
The short answer is yes, but only when there's a reason.
Routine mowing isn't what keeps a clover plot productive. Healthy soil, proper fertility, weed management, and adequate moisture are what allow perennial clover to thrive year after year. Every time you mow, you're removing forage that deer could have been eating. Unless mowing provides a clear benefit, you're cutting away the very thing you worked so hard to grow.
The goal of a food plot isn't to have the cleanest-looking field on the property. The goal is to produce as much high-quality forage for deer as possible.
Does Mowing Make Clover More Attractive to Deer?
One of the biggest reasons people mow is because they've heard deer prefer freshly mowed clover.
University of Tennessee researchers Mark Turner, Bonner Powell, and Dr. Craig Harper put that idea to the test. They ran trail cameras on mowed and unmowed sections of a clover, alfalfa, and ladino plot from late May through August and measured how much forage deer were actually eating in each.
The results didn't line up with the common belief. Mowed sections saw 53% fewer deer detections, and deer consumed 608 fewer pounds of forage per acre in the mowed areas. Crude protein, calcium, phosphorus, and fiber in the parts of the plant deer actually eat were nearly identical between mowed and unmowed clover. Deer weren't avoiding mowed sections because the forage was less nutritious — there was simply less young, available forage to eat.
That doesn't mean mowing will always reduce deer use on your property, but it shouldn't be treated as an attraction tool. If a healthy clover plot is already producing abundant forage, mowing may just remove food without making the plot any more appealing.
The Best Reason to Mow Clover: Managing Weed Competition
If there's one legitimate reason to mow a clover plot, it's weed management.
As summer rolls on, taller weeds can grow above the clover canopy and compete for sunlight, moisture, and nutrients. A well-timed mowing before those weeds go to seed can knock back future weed pressure and open the canopy back up.
But mowing is weed suppression, not weed control. Most grasses and perennial weeds simply grow back after they're cut, so the plot looks cleaner for a few weeks while the underlying problem stays put.
The same University of Tennessee study found that mowing every three to four weeks reduced weed height but didn't reduce weed coverage. Even more telling, mowed sections ended up with more weed coverage than unmowed sections by late summer, not less — cutting the clover back gave weeds room to spread into the open space, and by August, weed coverage in mowed sections was creeping toward 50%.
Mowing should be viewed as a maintenance tool, not your primary weed control strategy.
Why Selective Herbicides Usually Work Better
If the same weeds keep showing up year after year, another trip with the mower probably isn't the fix.
Selective herbicides remove weeds while letting the clover keep growing, giving it better access to sunlight, moisture, and nutrients all season. Most perennial clover plots don't fail because the clover wears out — they fail because weeds gradually take over.
A consistent herbicide program, paired with proper soil fertility and pH, will do far more to extend the life of a clover plot than mowing ever will. For a full breakdown on picking the right product, check out our article on Selective Herbicides to Kill the Weeds and Leave Your Plots.
When Mowing Can Actually Hurt Your Clover Plot
Like most habitat management practices, mowing is all about timing. Done right, it maintains a healthy stand. Done at the wrong time, it can set the plot back for weeks.
The biggest mistake we see is mowing during the hottest, driest stretch of summer. When moisture is limited, clover slows down and every healthy leaf becomes important for the plant's survival. Removing that leaf area during a drought forces the plant to recover while it's already stressed, and aggressive summer weeds are quick to take advantage of the newly opened space.
If your clover is wilted, growth has stalled, and there's no rain in the forecast, leave the mower parked until conditions turn around.
When Is the Best Time to Mow Clover?
If mowing is needed, timing matters just as much as the decision itself. Rather than mowing on a set schedule, let the plot tell you when it's time.
Mowing generally makes the most sense when:
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The clover is healthy and actively growing
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Soil moisture is adequate
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Rain is in the forecast
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Weeds are starting to overtop the clover
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Annual weeds are beginning to flower and produce seed
For a lot of food plotters, that means one mowing in late summer, if any is needed at all. By then, many warm-season weeds are nearing the end of their life cycle, so a timely pass can cut down on seed production while giving the clover room to respond to cooler fall conditions.
How High Should You Mow Clover?
When you do mow, don't scalp the field.
The goal is to clip the taller weeds while leaving enough healthy clover behind to recover quickly. For most established perennial clover plots, 6 to 8 inches is a good target height. That's tall enough to knock back the weed canopy while preserving enough leaf area for the clover to keep growing without missing a beat.
The Bottom Line
So, should you mow your clover food plot? Yes, but only when mowing actually benefits the plot.
If weeds are shading the clover, annual weeds are about to go to seed, or the stand needs a little help heading into fall, mowing is a useful tool. But if you're mowing several times every summer just because that's what you've always done, it's worth rethinking the approach. A productive clover plot isn't the result of mowing more often — it's the result of good soil fertility, proper pH, and timely weed control.
Before you hook up the bush hog this summer, ask yourself one question: is mowing solving a problem, or are you just mowing because you think you're supposed to? More often than not, the answer will tell you exactly what to do.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mowing Clover Food Plots
Q: Should you mow a clover food plot?
A: Yes, but only when it's needed. Mowing is most useful for reducing weed competition and keeping weeds from overtaking an established clover stand.
Q: When is the best time to mow a clover food plot?
A: Late summer is usually the best window. Mowing before weeds produce seed can cut down on future weed pressure while letting the clover respond to cooler fall conditions.
Q: How high should you mow a clover food plot?
A: Most established clover plots should be mowed to 6 to 8 inches. This removes taller weeds while leaving enough healthy clover behind to recover quickly.
Q: Does mowing make clover more attractive to deer?
A: Not necessarily. Healthy clover is already highly attractive to deer on its own. Mowing is a management practice, not a way to boost deer activity.
Q: Can mowing replace herbicides?
A: No. Mowing suppresses weeds but doesn't eliminate them. Selective herbicides are still the most effective long-term option for controlling grasses and broadleaf weeds in a clover plot.
Q: Should you mow clover during a drought?
A: No. During drought, clover needs as much leaf area as possible to survive. Wait until moisture returns and the plot resumes active growth before mowing.
Q: How often should you mow a clover food plot?
A: There's no set schedule. Some plots only need one mowing a year, while others may not need mowing at all. Let weed pressure and growing conditions determine when mowing is necessary.
Q: What's more important than mowing for a healthy clover plot?
A: Proper soil pH, fertility, and timely weed control will have a much bigger impact on long-term food plot success than routine mowing.
Reference: Turner, M., Powell, B., & Harper, C. (2021). Considerations for Mowing & Managing Perennial Forage Plots. Quality Whitetails, National Deer Association, Summer 2021.
